Our final Match today features the LIGHT side of the Lightsworn against their DARK side, facing off for the title of SHONEN JUMP Championship winner. Morandice Black is playing a pure Lightsworn Deck, teching copies of “My Body As A Shield,” “Lightning Vortex,” and “Phantom of Chaos” in his Main Deck.

Bowling is playing a Twilight Deck with “Chaos Sorcerer” as his DARK monster of choice, plus “Burial From a Different Dimension” and “Shiny Black “C”.” The Sorcerers, Vortex, and “My Body As A Shields” should be especially good against a pure Lightsworn Deck, so they could be game-breakers.

Bowling opened the match with 2 “Celestia, Lightsworn Angels,” “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Solar Recharge,” “Pot of Avarice,” and “Judgment Dragon.” He discarded one Celestia for “Solar Recharge,” sending “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” and “Plaguespreader Zombie” to his Graveyard. “Charge of the Light Brigade” sent “Gold Sarcophagus,” “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” and “Beckoning Light” to the Graveyard. He got “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” Summoned her, and discarded “Bottomless Trap Hole” to Special Summon Garoth. He Set a Spell or Trap, then sent Lyla, “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Torrential Tribute,” “Solar Recharge,” and “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid” to the Graveyard, drawing for the Druid with Garoth.

Black discarded “Ehren, Lightsworn Monk” for “Solar Recharge,” drew two, and sent “Plaguespreader Zombie” and “Monster Reincarnation” to his Graveyard. He activated “Giant Trunade,” Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” Set a Spell or Trap, and then sent “Honest,” Celestia, and Lyla to Graveyard in the End Phase.

Bowling drew, now holding “Necro Gardna,” “Chaos Sorcerer,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” “Judgment Dragon,” and “Pot of Avarice.” He removed “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness” and Celestia from his Graveyard, Special Summoned “Chaos Sorcerer,” and used its effect to remove Lyla from the game. He then Tributed Garoth for Celestia, sent “Judgment Dragon,” “Chaos Sorcerer,” “Necro Gardna,” and Lumina to his Graveyard for her effect, and targeted Black’s “Beckoning Light” for destruction. While Black considered Chaining it, Bowling revealed “Judgment Dragon.”

“I’ve got game. I know you don’t Main Deck Gorz.” Black opted not to Chain his “Beckoning Light,” and Bowling Special Summoned his Dragon. But when Bowling entered his Battle Phase he tried to attack with his “Chaos Sorcerer,” forgetting he had removed a monster with its effect! So it couldn’t attack this turn. He made direct attacks with Lumina, Celestia, and “Judgment Dragon,” knocking Black down to 1700 Life Points.

In Main Phase 2, Bowling sent back 5 monsters to his Deck for “Pot of Avarice.” (As he shuffled back his monsters he described his previous night, during which his car was towed. Bowling was exhausted, having spent his entire night filling out paperwork to get his car back!)

But he pressed on! He Special Summoned “Plaguespreader Zombie,” Tuned it to “Chaos Sorcerer,” and Synchro Summoned “Stardust Dragon.” A Set card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone ended his turn.

Black drew for his next turn and conceded immediately. There was no way he was going to get through “Judgment Dragon,” “Stardust Dragon,” and all the rest.

Chris Bowling makes a big mistake by forgetting about his “Chaos Sorcerer’s” effect, but wins out of the misplay anyways to take the first Duel! The pressure was now on Morandice Black: one more win, and Chris Bowling would become a SHONEN JUMP Championship winner!

(A very sleepy SHONEN JUMP Championship winner, but a winner nonetheless.)

Black started the second Duel with “Solar Recharge,” discarding “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to draw 2 and send “Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Lightning Vortex” to the Graveyard. He Summoned “Ehren, Lightsworn Monk,” and sent “My Body As A Shield”, “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” and “D.D. Crow” to the Graveyard.

Bowling Summoned Lyla, attacked, and Black activated “Honest’s” effect during damage calculation once Bowling passed priority. Lyla was destroyed. Black Normal Summoned “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” attacked with Ehren, then attacked with Garoth. Bowling dropped to 2950 Life Points. In his End Phase, Black sent five cards to his Graveyard in the following order, three for Ehren, and two for Garoth: “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” “Plaguespreader Zombie,” “Solar Recharge,” and two copies of “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel.” Garoth drew him 2 cards for the Celestias.

“I’ll go first,” quipped Bowling, conceding the Duel as he watched Black draw his 2 cards. Bowling knew he just wasn’t going to win. Both competitors made brief use of their Side Deck before starting the third and final Duel of the tournament.

“This is it,” remarked Bowling. He opened with “Necro Gardna,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Card Trooper,” “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” and “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior.” He Normal Summoned Garoth and Set “Bottomless Trap Hole.” Black discarded “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” activated “Solar Recharge,” drew 2, and sent “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” and “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer” to his Graveyard. He activated “Mystical Space Typhoon” to destroy Bowling’s Set “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and then looked through his Graveyard for a moment.

Black discarded “Necro Gardna” for “Monster Reincarnation,” taking back his Lumina from the Graveyard. He Summoned her, then discarded “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to Special Summon it. Wulf attacked Garoth and Lumina made a direct attack. Black had two cards left in hand, and Ended to send “Brain Control,” “Lightning Vortex,” and “Honest” to the Graveyard.

Bowling drew “Torrential Tribute.” He Normal Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded “Necro Gardna” for her effect, and Special Summoned “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior.” He sent Garoth to attack Black’s Lumina, and Black removed “Necro Gardna” to keep her on the field. Bowling Set “Torrential Tribute,” then sent 5 cards to his Graveyard – including “Judgment Dragon” and a copy of “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” with the first Garoth’s effect. He drew “Pot of Avarice” with Garoth, ending his turn with three cards in hand, Torrential Set, and Lumina and Garoth on the field.

Black drew to 3 cards in hand with Wulf and Lumina on the field. He Normal Summoned Lyla and Bowling flipped “Torrential Tribute”! Black had just 2 cards left to Bowling’s 3, and next turn Bowling would draw a fourth card in his Draw Phase. He could draw two more with “Pot of Avarice” if he wanted, which seemed likely since he had “Card Trooper” at the ready to load the Graveyard even more. Black ended his turn and Bowling snapped into action.

He activated “Card Trooper” and tried to send back “Honest,” Lyla, Lumina, Garoth, and “Judgment Dragon” to his Deck – but Black Chained “D.D. Crow,” removing Lumina from Bowling’s Graveyard! But from Bowling’s perspective, that “D.D. Crow” was just one more card eliminated from Black’s hand, and one more card that Bowling wouldn’t have to worry about. Bowling activated “Gold Sarcophagus,” removed “Judgment Dragon” from his Deck, and Summoned “Card Trooper.” He sent “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Trap Dustshoot,” and “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” to his Graveyard to boost “Card Trooper” to 1900 ATK, then attacked to end his turn.

Black could do nothing but pass. Bowling drew “Solar Recharge,” discarded his Celestia for it, and drew “Chaos Sorcerer” and “Beckoning Light.” He boosted “Card Trooper” to 1900 ATK (sending a “Necro Gardna” to the Graveyard in the process), and attacked for another 1900 damage. Black discarded “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” for “Solar Recharge,” drew 2, and sent “Lightning Vortex” and “Beckoning Light” to his Graveyard.

He activated “Heavy Storm” to destroy Bowling’s “Beckoning Light.” He then Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” and Normal Summoned “Honest.” Both monsters attacked, and both attacks were negated by “Necro Gardnas.” Black returned “Honest” to his hand in Main Phase 2, and activated “Judgment Dragon’s” effect to clear the field and finish his turn.

Bowling claimed his “Judgment Dragon” from “Gold Sarcophagus’” effect. He knew Black’s only remaining card was “Honest,” and he had Kycoo, “Chaos Sorcerer,” and the Dragon in hand. He removed “Honest” and “D.D. Crow” from his Graveyard to Special Summon “Chaos Sorcerer,” removed Black’s “Judgment Dragon” from play, and then Normal Summoned Kycoo to attack. Kycoo’s effect removed Lumina and Lyla from Black’s Graveyard, getting him back down to just 3 differently-named Lightsworn monsters.

Black Summoned “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” attacked “Chaos Sorcerer,” and discarded Honest to boost Jain over the Sorcerer in battle. Jain sent “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” and “My Body As A Shield” to the Graveyard in the End Phase. Bowling attacked Jain with Kycoo, Set “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” and ended. Black set “My Body As A Shield”, lost it to Ryko next turn, and Bowling Special Summoned “Plaguespreader Zombie.” He Tuned it to Ryko for “Armory Arm,” Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” and attacked with both monsters for game!

Chris Bowling shows how the advantages of his Twilight Deck overcome a more Traditional Lightsworn build, using “Chaos Sorcerer” to eliminate Black’s “Judgment Dragon” and Kycoo to keep Black below 4 Lightsworn in the Graveyard! Chris Bowling is our new SHONEN JUMP Championship winner!